John Martin hails Cris Cyborg, addresses potential boxing bout with Claressa Shields

PFL CEO John Martin lavished praise on Cris Cyborg following her performance at PFL Tampa against Ketlen Vieira, calling the Brazilian striker the most accomplished women's MMA fighter in history.

Despite the bout being closely contested over five rounds, Martin believed Cyborg did enough to secure the victory. He acknowledged Vieira's strong showing despite her failure to make weight, saying she "put up a very great fight" on short notice. "If you've never seen Cris Cyborg fight before, hopefully you can get an appreciation and an understanding of what a legend this fighter is," Martin said in a post-fight interview.

When asked about Cyborg's callout of undefeated professional boxer Claressa Shields—who recently captured WBA and WBC middleweight titles by defeating Kaye Scott—Martin indicated a potential crossover boxing match is now feasible. The PFL's recent merger with Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) has opened the door for such possibilities. "Since we've announced the merger with MVP, we can now talk to our MMA fighters about if they want to box; the possibility exists," Martin explained, suggesting the promotion will explore opportunities to facilitate fights between its combat athletes and elite boxers.